An aircraft generally has a supply electrical system comprising, in particular, an electrical energy primary distribution circuit. This primary distribution circuit makes it possible to protect and distribute the electrical power coming from internal sources, for example generators or batteries, or from external sources to service loads or to other distribution boxes of the aircraft.
A primary distribution circuit generally includes a power part and a control part.
The power part uses distribution boxes which generally include a distribution board comprising one or more distributing bars mounted at the surface on a support plate and distributing the power supplied by electric generators. Distribution components, such as switching elements, are mounted on the distribution board and, depending on the open or closed state thereof, allow or deny the passage of power in the distributing bars on which they are mounted or make it possible to switch the received electrical energy to another distributing bar or to another electrical energy distribution box.
FIG. 1 shows an example of an electrical energy distribution box structure for an aircraft according to the prior art.
As can be seen, an electrical energy distribution box mainly includes a distribution board P comprising one or more electrically conductive distributing bars 1 mounted on a support plate 2 and one or more switching elements 3. Switching power in the bars 1 depends on the open or closed state of switching elements 3.
As can be seen, the switches 3 are fitted with connection bars 4 through which they are mounted on the distribution board P by means of power fasteners 5 firstly comprising screws 6 provided on the connection bars 4 and floating nuts 7 provided on the support plate 2.
The open or closed state of the switch 3 is controlled by a signal carried by a cabling strand 8.
Internally, the switch 3 includes a coil (not shown) acting on a conductive movable contact 9 fitted with conductive contact pads 10 intended to engage corresponding pads 11 provided on the connection bars 4 in the closed position of the switching element (FIG. 2).
Such a mounting is advantageous insofar as it allows relatively large powers to be carried within the distribution boxes while allowing the switching of power thanks to the presence of the switching elements.
The presence of the connecting bars and of the power fasteners significantly increases the mass, volume and manufacturing costs of the distribution boxes of a primary distribution circuit, given the large number of boxes used for producing a supply network of an aircraft.
Since the on-board network of an aircraft is fitted with a large number of such distribution boxes, it is understood that this type of mounting has a relatively large mass, volume and manufacturing costs.
The aim of the invention is, therefore, to overcome this disadvantage.